Circuit-closer.



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PIZZA $555: /4 jg @M 'W. C. NEAHR.

CIRCUIT CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY'31. 19 .12..

Patented Apr. 6,1915.,

2 sung-sum z.

' INVENTOR.

'YY' G ffeakri an alarm or other electric instrument,

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILL (I. NE AHR, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO THE PROTEOTIVE SIGNAL MANUFACTURING COMIANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, A GORPORATION.

omonI'r-cLosEn.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Application filed July 31, 1912. Serial No. 712,511.

To all whom itma z concern-.

Be it known that 1, Wm. C. NEAHR, a citizen of the United States, residin Denver, in the county of Denver and tate of Colorado, have invented-certain new and useful Improvements .in- Circuit-Closers, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in circuit closers and its principal ob ect is to rovide an instrument of ing motion imparted to one of its contact members by a movement of the support to which the instrument is attached, and which is provided with electro-magnetic means by which the said members; are continuously maintained in engagement until the circuit of which they are terminals, another point.

Thile my invention may be employed in is opened at connection'with electric systems of difierent character, it is more particularly adapted for use in alarm systems such as are used at railroad crossing to announce the approach of a train in which case the circuit closer is suspended froma rail of the railroad track at a distance fromthe crossing, and connected in an electric circuit with an alarm and atherewith electrically associated automatic switch which is actuated by the completion of vthe circuit in which the circuit closing instrument is connected and which bycurrent supplied through a local circuit connects the alarm in the first mentioned circuit during a period determined by a cycle of intermittent movements, at the termination of which the normal condition of the parts is automatically restored.

While the switch above referred to may be of any construction suitable, to accomplish the purpose of causing the operation of ing a determinate'period after the circuit has been reopened at the point at which the circuit closer is connected therein, I preferably employ the mechanism which in my Co'- pending application No. 712,512 has. been shown in a system with the circuit closer which forms the sub this class which 18 I constructed to close-a circuit by the vibratdur- . tion to the same,

-with the bar. of electrical connections ject of the present application and an elec-' tric alarm of ordinary construction.

In the drawings in the various viewsof which like parts are similarly designated. Figure 1 represents a plan view of the cir- 'cuit-closing mechanism, the casing in which it is inclosed having been shown in section, Fig. 2, a side elevation of the mechanism with the casing shown in section, Fig. 3, a section taken along the line 3-3, Fig. 1 drawn to an enlarged scale, Fig. 4, an enlarged section taken along the line 4-4,

Fig. 1, and Fig. 5, a fragmentary View sho'wing a modified construction of the device.

Referring to the drawings my improved circuitclosing instrument consists of a casing 2 having at one of its ends an opening which is normally closed by a head 3 to which the operating parts of the instrument are attached. This head is fastened to the casing by means of screws 4: so that if at any time it is desired to inspect the circuit closing mechanism, the same may be withdrawn from the casing in its ent retv by merely loosening the screws and removing the head. The casing is provided at its upper surface with a pair of clamping'devices 5 by means of which it is suspended from the foot of the .rail 6 of a railroad track and a hood 7 is placed around its end closed by the head 3, to protect the binding screws an connections disposed exteriorly thereof.

mechanism proper consists of a bar 8 which is rigidlyattached at one of its endsto the head 3 in insulated relationthereto and which at its free end has a slotted, upturned portion 29 which provides a stop to limit the movement of the vibrating element of the instrument, as will lhe circuit closing hereinafter be more fully described. The bar 8 is attached to the head by means of screws 9 which extending through registering openingsin plate 10 placed exteriorly in insulated relaare fastened in threaded apertures of a plate 12 formed integral A binding screw 13 fastened in an aperture of the exteriorly disposed plate l0 ex-' den the head and in a v which the tends through an opening in the head 3 lined with a bushing of non-conductive material and it is projected into an aperture in the plate 12 of the bar 8 to place the latter in electric communication with a conductor 14 fastened to casing. The openings in the head through screws 9 extend are likewise lined with bushings of insulated material so that theelectric current flowing from the conductor 14; to the bar 8 can in no way reach the head or the casing to which the latter is connected.

Vertically adjustably' disposed upon the bar adjacent the plate 12, is a clamping device which consists of two members 15 and 16 which are connected by screws 17 to clampingly secure an end. of the element placed'between them. The end of the device nearestthe head is held in place by means of screws 18 which are secured in an enlargement of the bar tend through registerin members, which .are 0 greater diameter than the screws to allow of a limited pivotal 8 and which exmovement of the device when it is being adju'sted to vary the position of the-vibrating element. "This adjustment is accoin lished by means of nuts screwed above an the opposite end of the member 15 of the device upon bolts 19 which are secured to the bar 8and extend loosely through openings in the end of the said member;

The; vibrating element hereinbefore referred to consists of a flat spring 20 which at one of its ends is clamped between the members 15 and 16 and-which at its oppospring 27 placed in site end carries a rigid iron rod 21 whose outer extremity extends loosel through the slot in the upturned portion 2 ofthe bar 8. Secured upon the rod 21 is the spool of an electro-magnetic coil 22 whichat one of its ends connects with a binding screw 23 extending through an opening in the head 3 in insulated relation opposite end, with a contact-ring 24 of hardened steel which is insulated from the bar by means of an interposed bushing 31 of non-conductive material.

A contact screw 25 is vertically adjustably suspended above the contact ring 24 from the end of a rocker arm 26 which is pivoted in a groove in the upper end of the upturned portion 29 of the supporting bar. and which at its opposite end is supported upon a coiled a recess in the bottom of the said slot. p p f The end of the rod 21 projecting beyond the magnetic coil is surrounded by a sleeve 28 made of brass or other magnetically transparent material which, during upward movement of the vibrating element, engages the upper end of the slot in the upturned portion of the bar. I

' posite sides of the circuit, bindin screw 13, is, as hereinbefore exthe screw 13 at the outside of the vibrating holes the two.

below to the same, and 'at itsrangement of the The instrument is connected in an electric 5 circuit by means of the binding screws 23 and 13 to which conductors 30 and 14: at opare attached. The

sequent engagement of the ring 24 with the contact screw on the bar 8 closes the circuit and at the same time energizes the magnet. The magnetization of the core 21 of the magnet, causes it to adhere to the part of the conductive bar 8 to which it is adjacent when the circuit is completed through the contact between the ring 24 and the screw 25, and to thereby maintain the vibrative element in the position in which it closes the circuit, until the latter is broken at another point when the magnet is dener'gized and the vibrating element is permitted to re turn to its normal position.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the conductive part of the instrument which is approached by the magnet-core when the vibrative element is in its circuit closing position, isthe end of the slot in the upturned portion 29 of the bar 8, into which the rod 21 loosely extendsu The brass sleeve 28 around the end of the rod 2'1 is provided to prevent it freezing against the end of the slot in the piece 29 by the permanent magnetism of the parts' after the magnet is deenergized, as would occur inoase the iron core came in direct contact with the iron end portion of the bar. 5

The purpose of the resilient support 27 for the rocker arm 26 is to insure a positive conductive contact between the end of the screw 25 and the ring 24, which latter is provided with a contact point to engage with the point of the screw.

While for reasons of simplicity of con struction and positiveness of action the aring instrument as above described, are pref erable, the magnetic-coil may be disposed separate from the vibrating element ashas been shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings in which the magnet 50 is mounted upon the fixed supporting bar 8 in connection with a contact blade 51 which is fastened upon the same-bar in insulated relation thereto. The vibrating element carries in this case,

a contact '52 which'is disposed to engage the.

parts of the circuit dos- I claim and desireto secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. In a circuit closing instrument, a support having atone of its ends, an integral stop, a vibrative element mounted at one of its ends on said support, its opposite end being disposed to approach said stop during its movement in one direction, an insulated contact and a magnetic coil on said element connected in one side of a normally open electric circuit the opposite side, of which is connected with said support, and a contact in electrical connection with said support and disposed to be engaged by the first mentioned contact during movement of the said element in the said direction.

2. In a circuit closing instrument, a sup-' port having a fixed upturned, slotted terminal portion, a vibrative element mounted;

on said support and guided in said slot, a

contact carried on said element and connected at one side of a. break in an electric circuit, and a contact mounted on the said upturned portion to be engaged by the firstmentioned contact during movement of the said element in one direction, and connec ed at the opposite side of the break in the said circuit.

3; In a circuit closing instrument, a support havinga fixed upturned, slotted terminal portion, a vibrative element mounted on said support and guided in said slot, a contact carried on said element and connected at one side of a break in an electric circuit, and a contact resiliently mounted on the said upturned portion to be engaged by the first-mentioned contact during move ment of the said element in one direction,

and connected at the opposite side of the break in the said circuit.

4:. In a circuit closing instrument, a support having a fixed upturned, slotted terminal portion, a vibrative element mounted on said support and guided in said slot, a contact carried on said element and connected at one side of a break in an electric circuit, an arm mounted on the said up.

ment of said element in one direction, said contacts being connected at opposite sides of a break in an electric circuit, and an electro-magnet the windings of which are connected in a side of said circuit and the core of which is carried on said element, a magnetic pa rt of the instrument being disposed 7 said movement of. the element, for maintaming the latter in the position in which it closes the circuit by the engagement of the contacts. r

6. In a circuit closing instrument, a vibrative element, a contact carriedthereon, a second contact disposed to be-engaged by the first-mentioned contact during movement of said element in one direction, said contacts being connected at opposite sides of a break in an electric circuit, and an electro-magnet the windings of which are connected in'a side of the circuit and the core of which is disposed withrelation to a magnetic part of the instrument to be brought by said movement of the element, in operative adj acency to said part for maintaining the element in the position in which 'it closes the circuit by the engagement of the contacts.

' 7. In a circuit closing instrument, a vibrative element, a pair of normally separated contacts at opposite sides of a break in an electric circuit, adapted to be brought in engagement by movement of said element in one direction, and an electro-magnet carried on said element, its windings being connected in a side of the circuit, the said instru-' thereon, a second contact disposed to be engaged by the first-mentioned contact during movement of said element. in one direction, said contacts being connected at opposite sides of a'break in an electric circuit, and an electro-magnet carried on said clement, its windings being connected in a side of the circuit, the said instrument having a magnetic stop disposed to be approached by the core of the magnet during said movement of the element for maintaining the latter in the position in which it closes the circuit by the engagement of the contacts.

9. In a circuit closing instrument, a vibrative element, an insulated contact carried thereon and connected in one side of a nor-- mally open electric circuit, a magnetic coll of which said element is the core connected in thesame side ofsaid circuit, a stop adapted to be approached by said element during its movement in one direction and connected in the opposite side of the said circuit, and a contact disposed to be engaged by the first mentioned contact during movement of the said element in the said direction and electrically connected with the sto 10. A circuit closing instrument comprise et durcontacts c felectric circuit, disposed to bebrought in ing a vihmtiyeelement, e ggig at opposlte' sides of a bre''ifiii ,mentby movement of said eleriieiit" in one direction, and an electro-lnagnet the-Windings of which are connected in a side "of the circuit, and the core of which is so disposed with relation to a magnetic part of the instrument as to be brought by sai move- 10 ment of the element, in operative adjacency to said part for vmaintaining the elenient in the pesition in which it closes the circuit by engagement of the contacts.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILL C. NEAHR. Witnesses:

G. J. .RQLLANDET, L. RHOADES. 

